Toronto restaurants will no longer be able to give you plastic cutlery unless asked

A new bylaw in Toronto that will prevent restaurants in the city from giving out plastic utensils and cups unless specifically asked for will come into effect next week.

The bylaw, that began gaining traction in late 2023, has passed and will take effect on March 1, seriously changing the way the city eats their takeout.

The new bylaw seeks to limit single-use plastic waste produced by restaurants in the city while developing the circular economy, encouraging Toronto residents to invest in reusable and easy-to-transport cups and cutlery.

As of March 1, businesses will have to adhere to an "ask-first/by-request" approach when it comes to disposable plastics, meaning that customers will have to specifically request cutlery or cups with their order.

It's not only plastic that will be restricted under the bylaw. "Accessory food items," like straws, napkins, and condiment packages, as well as paper shopping bags will all fall under the "ask-first/by-request" mandate, too.

The new bylaw will also require businesses to accept customers' reusable cups and shopping bags.

Small businesses in the city will be supported by the Circular Food Innovators Fund (CFIF) while they navigate the transition to the new bylaw and will fund projects for reusables and reuse systems that are outside of the bylaw requirements. 

These are just the first steps of the city's strategy to reduce single-use waste in the city, and with next steps set to be discussed in 2025.